Playing card



Sept. 15,1942. R. w.M`lDDLEBRooK PLAYIN CARD Filed Aug. 12, m40

INVENTOR.' WMia//ebraok v BY: g Z Y ATTORNEYS:

Roy

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' drawn, so Vthat when `a deck ,ofl cardsto Patented Sept. 15, 1942 'his invention relates to :playing-."ardsrand,

`more particularly, toyrpl'ayng cardsgto beusedA for playing contractsbridge, duplicate Ycontract bridge, whist or likegames. f

It is the custom induplicatecontra'ct'bridga to use a; set of 'thirty-'two boards each'havingtherein four Ipockets, one foreahplayer. pack Vof ordinary vvplaying cards is used #for :each board and in playing` the; gamefour; hands. are dealt, vone cardyat a time being `dealt in rotation to each of thel pockets on thelooardiinto Vwhichfthe cards are placed. This is repeated until, eachpocket .in vof the thirty-twoohoards contains a hand of thirteen cards. ,g i'IYhe l players thentake ihoirfroitions at .thetablo ondtartfthefgamv `the board. In other.wqrdgcnbpardnasTine;-

-each board, therefore, being, different.

The above procedure is repeated. L:all thirty-two boards havefbeeii gplayd. The fh oaljds are then replayed,l bylore. pair changing places 'With .th ot ing the `plty Offthe, next ft cate '.bridgemay .be play. d @ihlamann @tural to a player 'accustomed-ita playing ordinary Anothor'.j object `of -thisjjnventitngisz1- @provide beiisd .fOr-1R11 ,ing 1111.11) .aie bridge which will' aoaway winnen paraphernalia y-now used in5l playing such-a `tionof one deck of cards.

divided ,orfgaxnes to b designations by thevarious` players `di" a bridge, whistor ,lik'e game With'the excep- Another object of this inventionv is to :provide a deckjof-ordinaryplaying'cardspn the back of which is indicatedV 4the -dealeran'dthe vulnerability ofthe various'playersA on 'each particular hand ,oi a seriesofhiands of contracthridge, duplicate contract bridge, Whist: or likeA card game "to be played...

An still V furtheri object of this,l invention is vto provide a playing card on` whichythevulnerability ofthe `various players on each hand o f a series ofV handafiobelplayod isrormanontly indicated .and on `'whicheachfri'oiorilay .mark by a removable mark, his position when a card is; dealt vto'himSo-that:ihooari on a Subsequent-deal may `jbe .dealt-to thatzsameposition andplayed ,by an- Y :other playerA after. the ployorshave changed: positions,,thematicboinaremovable.;thereofti-,

Other kobjects of; thewinvention-will become apparent `in the course of` the followingspeci'- cation.

v ,Y'I'heabove and-otherohjeots of invention may `he realized byjproviding ,ra deck of ardiriary playing cards* having the back'thereof to plurality '0f .onolosod'oreoS-,eah

ybeing fr narkewd. to indicatev one -gartaeV of l a .series .e played, chjericiosedoreahaving fourposiltions designated therein, each ot thejfour representing the position occupied game, and" each' designation being :parked to designate. the. dealer, the lvulnerabilityand non-vulnerability of each individual .player on any gone "given-hand of ,a seriespf "hands being played. V 'Ifhle dardfisjalsoiadapted. to be: marked so ,indicate 'the prism@ewhichitlis deaitso that @if-may' im. Same 'position ,The intention 'will appear morefcleariy, from `the following detailed descriptionlwhen.taken yin orinction 'with the acfzoinpalnyingY,v drawing,

a subsequent hand be re-.dealt to that showing byfvva'y'lof Y"example alpreferred embodi- 'vinent of '-thednventiom .together with Vpossible r .modifications thereof.

lo-'tho''dlr'aiwingrj,L Figure .1 isa perspective viewof `a deck of cards yshowing inei'evation the back drone ofthepiayl ing: Cards:

further modicationjoftthe. invention.

, In 4the ye'inlofodinentY .of the ANpresent `inventiam,

a of ordinary playing cards is used. The backs b of each one of these cards has imprinted thereon a plurality of enclosed areas c which are preferably square.

Each square c has four positions W, N, E and S designated therein each of these designations representing a position occupied by a player. As illustrated in the drawing, each square c is divided into four parts by two diagonal lines each extending from one corner of the square to the diagonally opposite corner dividing the squares c into four equilateral triangles each triangle representing a position occupied by a player.

The triangles designating positions W, N, E and S are each marked to indicate which player or players are vulnerable, which ones are not vulnerable, and to indicate which player is the dealer during the playing of each different hand. In the drawing, different colors are used for such markings but it will be readily understood that other indicative markings may be used. For example, the symbol for red indicates vulnerability; black indicates, non-vulnerability and the symbol for yellow indicates the dealer.

Each enclosed area c represents one hand of a series of hands of a game of duplicate bridge, bridge, whist or other like card game to be played and is marked, preferably, by a number d. Since each enclosed area c represents a different hand of a game of cards to be played, a different number d is used for each area.

In the drawing, the areas c are arranged in parallel lines, extending vertically and transversely on the back of the cards. The areas c are numbered consecutively from left to right transversely on the card, the lowest number being at the left of the top line in the drawing and the highest at the right. The next lower line of squares c are likewise numbered, the first square in the line being the next consecutive number higher than the last number of the preceding line.

Since different positions are vulnerable or nonvulnerable during the playing on each hand, and since there is a different dealer on each hand, these diflerences are indicated by coloring the triangles W, N, E and S. The player, therefore, may ascertain which positions are vulnerable,

which are not vulnerable and which positiondealt the given hand by looking in the enclosed area c, the number d which corresponds to the number of the given hand.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, the back b of each card in the deck is arranged to indicate which position will deal the cards in each one of sixteen hands and, also, which positions will not be vulnerable during the playing of each one of the sixteen hands. The back of the card is divided transversely through the center thereof into two parts :l: and y, each part having sixteen squares c arranged in four lines or arranged in four vertically and horizontally extending lines, each having four squares therein. The squares are numbered consecutively from left to right, beginning at the left hand square on the top line, a corresponding square c of each half :l: and y bearing identical numbers and markings.

The embodiment shown in Figure 2 illustrates the backing of the playing card marked to designate the dealer, the vulnerability, the non-vulnerability of the different positions W, N, E and S of each hand in a series of thirty-two hands to be played. The vulnerability, ynon-vulnerability and dealer are indicated in color similar to that used in Figure 1. The number d, however, designated the hand numbers are enclosed in diamond-shaped enclosures. The card is likewise divided into an upper section x and a lower section y, the area c in the upper section being arranged and numbered in a manner similar to the playing areas in the embodiment shown in Figure l. The area c of the lower half are numbered, however, from 17 to 32.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3, the vulnerability of the various players are designated by letters.

The back of the card is divided into two halves a: and :u each half and y being divided vertically into four parts, a vertically extending line a dividing the four parts in the center. Each half is, therefore, divided into eight enclosed areas, each area representing one hand of cards to be played. It will be readily understood that the back of the card may be divided into either more or less areas according to the number of handsin the series of hands in the game for which the card is to be used.

Each area is numbered at r. A letter is imprinted adjacent the number at s the letter indicating one of the four positions, North, South, East or West, the position to which the card is to be dealt in the hand corresponding to the adjacent number. These letters may be either permanently or removably imprinted on the card.

At the top of each column of enclosed areas is the letter D, and in each area under this letter is a letter corresponding to one of the positions at a bridge table, these letters indicating the dealer on the hand corresponding to the number adjacent the letter.

Adjacent the indicia denoting the dealer are letters indicating which positions at the table are vulnerable. l

In playing a game of duplicate bridge with the cards of this invention, the cards are dealt from the pack to the player occupying each position W, N, E and S, one at a time in rotation, as is the usual custom playing this game. Each player will then designate his position by any desired mark by placing this mark on the back of each card which he holds preferably in the margin as designated by the reference letter F. The cards are, preferably, of a washable material, so that the marks placed on them in this manner may be easily removed when desired. The cards are then played in accordance with the usual procedure in a bridge game, each player `winning a trick taking that trick from the center of the board, placing the same opposite him, as is usual in an ordinary bridge game. The game is then scored in accordance with the usual bridge rules. The awards and penalties are scored in accordance with the vulnerability or non-vulnerability of the various players which may be ascertained by referring to the back of any one of the playing cards andlooking at the area c bearing the number corresponding to the number of the hand just played. In a series of hands to be played, for example, we shall consider the hand just played, as hand No. l, in a series of sixteen hands to be played, by referring to Figure l of the drawing, it will be seen that in the area or square c appearing adjacent the numeral I, W, N, and E are not vulnerable and that S was the dealer. Referring to the next hand to be played, hand No. 2, by looking in the square on the chart on the back of the card to the right of the numeral 2, it will be noted that W is the dealer, N and S are vulnerable and E is not vulnerable.

The vulnerability and non-vulnerability of the different players in the various hands of play follow the standard contract bridge board schedule.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, the back of the card is marked for use in playing a series of thirty-two games. The series are numbered by small numbers appearing in diamond-shaped enclosures.

It is apparent that the specific illustrations shown have been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that the structure above described is departing from the scope or intent of the invention, all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

A card for playing duplicate bridge having the entire back surface thereof divided into two groups of 16 enclosed square-shaped areas each representing a bridge hand and having indicia indicating the round, each of said areas being divided into four triangular sections each representing a player, a second square-shaped area centrally disposed within said first-mentioned square-shaped area and being of such size that there is sufficient space between the sides of said first-mentioned square-shaped area and said second-mentioned square shaped area to make notations therein, said second square-shaped area being divided into four equilateral triangular sections coinciding with the triangular sections of said first-mentioned area one of said triangular sections having indicia indicating the dealer, the opposite section having indicia indicating the vulnerability or non-vulnerability of the partner and the two remaining opposite sections having indicia indicating the vulnerability or non-Vulnerability of the opponents.

ROY WV. MIDDLEBROOK. 

